On April 4, 2025, Washington Attorney General Nick Brown and Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield filed a lawsuit to block implementation of Trump’s executive order attempting to upend elections. The order purported to direct the Election Assistance Commission (EAC) to change the federal voter registration form, which requirements are dictated by the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA), by adding a documentary proof of citizenship requirement for voter registration conducted on federal forms. This requirement was also extended to military and overseas voters, including for state elections. The order also sought to commandeer the EAC by changing voting system standards and banning voting systems that print votes using QR or bar codes. It attempted to upend state election laws by prohibiting any state from accepting absentee ballots after Election Day. It also would strip states of federal funding if they fail to adhere to the arbitrary requirements established in the order.

American democracy has given agency to the oppressed, hope to the weary, and belief that our society can work for everyone. These truths appeal to most people, but not to a bully and an authoritarian. Donald Trump fears what he can’t control. He only feels safe when he has our rights under his thumb. Attorney General Nick Brown